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Orals and Practicals, Hydraulics and such

 

 

I want you to just take a moment to appreciate the uncanny joy bursting forth from this variable displacement hydraulic pump.

 

Okay, Hi! Howdy! How's it goin'? Here's an updated peek into my hectic yet fun life.

 

Rigging and Assembly

 

 

This unit was a lot of "real" mechanic work on airplanes with manuals and procedures for attaching the control surfaces the right way with the cables having the right tension complete with safety wire in tight spaces! (That's not exactly something to be excited about) In the picture you can see the little hole in the belly where the light is coming through, that will either fit two hands through, or one hand and half a glance.

 

 

What was fun was measuring the symmetry of an airplane, in the rain! This is a picture of me wing walking. Well, horizontal stabilizer walking at least, on the ground.

 

Hydraulics

 

 

This unit most definitely is may favorite so far. I spent a whole week just tinkering with all kinds of hydraulic system parts. Pumps, reservoirs, actuators, accumulators, selector valves. The best part was, no paperwork! We just had to figure out how they worked and explain it with a drawing to the instructor. As you can see I also had a good, although quite chilly, view of the DC-3 while I was working.

 

Other "fun" stuff

 

 

My 20th birthday has also come and gone. I spent it well, reading good books, eating goldfish and drinking tea, had some friends over for music and dinner, also some studying.

 

Speaking of studying I have a rapidly approaching set of FAA exams called Os and Ps. It stands for Orals and Practicals. Basically a test where a guy asks a bunch of questions, then assigns a bunch of projects. Afterwards I go take a written test and get my license. I am taking the test early so I have a ton of studying to do for it. So please pray that I would be at peace and not overly stressed, and would be able to adequately prepare.

 

Until next time!

Jonathan